


The Secrets You Keep

by Increasing_Paranoia



Series: Hidden Things [2]
Category: LazyTown
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2020-10-21 05:36:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20688356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Increasing_Paranoia/pseuds/Increasing_Paranoia
Summary: Following The Things We Left Unsaid, Robbie and Sportacus try and navigate their new relationship. It's not exactly easy, what with Robbie's reluctance to speak about his past, worried teens constantly hanging around and unknown individuals appearing in the town. Thankfully LazyTown's annual Halloween Festival gives them something to look forward to, provided they aren't thrown any unexpected tricks.





	1. Chapter 1

Robbie fidgeted as the kids continued chattering. Lunch was wrapping up and food had become less of a focus as they interrogated Sportacus on his visit home, what brought him back to LazyTown and when he would have to leave again. The elf had satisfied their curiosity about his homeland, giving them funny stories about his visit while leaving out his own personal struggle. As to what had brought him back to LazyTown, Sportacus informed the teenagers that he was given leave to visit as there were one or two things that needed his further attention and, as such, he would not be leaving LazyTown any time soon. That had caused a loud eruption of cheers from the group and even Robbie had managed to smile faintly, though he had been more amused at Sportacus’ half-truths than anything else. It made the fae wonder just how good the above-average hero was at lying by omission.   
  


“ I’m glad you’re back,” Stephanie was saying as Robbie tore his napkin to shreds. “Not only do we get to see you, but you managed to drag Robbie out as well! We haven’t seen him in weeks!” Robbie froze as he felt curious eyes upon him and he didn’t miss the subtle downturn of Stephanie’s lips. There was no doubt she was cataloguing the older man, noting the dark circles still under his eyes despite how often he’d been sleeping, the obvious weight loss. The weight had been slow to return to him, despite Sportacook’s best efforts to feed him constantly.    
  


And really, Sportamom was constantly shoving food at the taller man, urging him to eat. And Robbie appreciated it, really he did, despite all of his grumbling and irritated looks and frowns. But the elf made food that they could _both_ eat, which meant it didn’t have enough sugar for Robbie’s fae side and the half-fae was too afraid of telling the damned elf because...because...because he didn’t want to hurt the other man’s _feelings._ Because then Robbie might just see the sad, puppy-dog look that the sports elf got whenever he felt he had done something _wrong _and...and…   
  


“ Robbie?” The question broke through the man’s thoughts and he blinked, bringing himself back to the present. He found himself the center of attention and he instinctively hunched, trying to make himself seem smaller.   
  


“ _ What?  _ What is it?” he snapped. He saw the small frown on Sportacus’ face, the worried look he got when he thought Robbie wasn’t looking. Stephanie was wearing a similar expression, a mini-version of her hero, so eager to fix whatever was wrong and Robbie might be amused by it if he didn’t feel like crying so very much. He loved the kids, knows that he holds a very special place in their hearts but this...this  _ situation  _ that he and the elf found themselves in couldn’t be fixed by a lecture on healthy living followed up by a song and dance routine.  
  
“ Stephanie asked if you were feeling alright, or if you think it would be better to head home,” Sportacus repeated.   
  


“I’m _fine,_ little girl,” he responded through clenched teeth. “I was merely contemplating which slice of pie I wanted to start with,” he lied, turning his head to look at the display case.   
  


“ Robbie, you’ve been sick. You should be staying away from sugary things!” the pink-haired teen admonished. Robbie fought down a scream.   
  


“Stephanie, you know how I’ve always taught you that what is right for me may not be right for you?” Sportacus interrupted before the ex-villain exploded. “That’s not just because I’m an elf and you’re human. What’s right for _you _is also different from what is right for Ziggy, or Pixel, or Robbie. Robbie was sick _because _his body was not getting enough sugar, not because it had too much. So actually, having a _slice_ of pie,” Robbie rolled his eyes, not missing the emphasis on the word ‘slice’ at all, “would actually _help _him get better faster.”  
  


“ You mean some people need more sugar than others?” Ziggy asked, eyes wide in wonder. At Sportacus’ nod, the blond let out a heavy sigh. “You’re so lucky, Robbie. I  _ wish  _ my body needed as much sugar as yours did.” Robbie let out an odd, strangled, burbling laugh.   
  


“ Trust me kid, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” he sighed.   
  


After Robbie had eaten a _large _slice of apple pie, smothered in whipped cream (and ordered a slice of chocolate silk to go because he might be a _retired_ villain, but he still had his villain tendencies _and _his self-respect, goody-two-shoes boyfriend...mate..._whatever_ notwithstanding) the group worked its way down to the park. Robbie shivered slightly at the temperature change as he stepped outside. While fall was only beginning to set in, the nights were getting significantly cooler and dusk was beginning to creep into the town. Despite the drop in temperatures, the fae let a small smile flicker across his lips. He loved this time of year, especially as it got nearer to All Hallow’s Eve.   
  


“ Earth to Robbie,” Trixie all but shouted in his ear and he frowned at the young troublemaker.   
  


“_What?”_ he asked, letting his irritation color his voice. Trixie merely smiled at him, the brat, and Robbie made note to pull extra pranks on her this year.  
  


“ I asked whether you were going to help out with LazyTown’s Halloween Party again this year,” she repeated, her hands firmly placed on her hips and giving him a pointed look. Robbie rolled his eyes.   
  


“Have I ever not, you little hooligan?” he retorted. “I have the plans in my lair. We can start preparing this weekend.” Trixie grinned at him and Robbie felt another one of those odd, _squeezing_ sensations in his chest. He chalked it up to indigestion from eating too quickly and turned his attention back to the conversation. 

* * *

It was eleven pm when Robbie snuck into his kitchen. He was as stealthy as humanly (and non-humanly) possible seeing as how an _elf _had taken up residence in his lair. Robbie was still trying to figure out _how_ that had happened. Sportacus had spent _eight years_ living in a _blimp_ but now it seemed he was intent on spending all of his time with Robbie, including cohabitating. The man would chalk it up to some type of weird elven thing if he knew the first thing about elves and their courting rituals. Still, it made his life increasingly difficult when Robbie was trying to sneak extra treats without letting said elf know. He had managed to snag his piece of pie and a fork and he finally settled into his recliner with a heavy sigh. Mission accomplished.  
  


“You aren’t getting enough sugar.” Robbie most certainly did _not_ shriek. A light snapped on and in a few short strides, Sportacus was standing in front of the taller man, his brow furrowed in worry. “Why did you not tell me?”  
  


“Sportasneak, don’t _do_ that!” He breathed heavily, willing his heart to calm down as he very carefully set his pie on the table next to his chair. “Oh, don’t look at me like that!” Robbie groused.  
  


“Like _what,_ Robbie?” the elf asked.  
  


“ Like...like you’re so  _ disappointed _ . You always get that look when you’re unhappy with yourself or someone else. I  _ knew  _ you’d get that look if you found out.”   
  


“ Robbie, I’m not disappointed. I  _ am  _ upset, yes, we’ve been trying to get you healthy for weeks now. If you knew that you weren’t getting enough sugar, you should have  _ told  _ me so we could fix it.”   
  


“I...it’s just. You were trying _so hard_ and...I knew if you added any more sugar to what you were making then you wouldn’t be able to process it. And I...I’m not _adverse _to us eating _together_, so...I was eating with _you _and then...taking care of the rest of the sugar on my _own_.” It had made sense at the time, he mused to himself.   
  


“ So…” Sportacus smiled slowly. “Robbie, you were trying to avoid hurting my feelings?”    
  


Robbie groaned and buried his face in his hands. “Is this what caring for someone is like? Because if so, it’s _exhausting.”_ Sportacus laughed and pulled the fae’s hands away from his face.  
  


“ I will gladly add more sugar to your diet if you are alright with me bringing sportscandy into the lair. Then, you can have your sugar, and I can have my sportscandy and we can still eat together. How’s that?” Robbie didn’t deign to respond. He tugged his hands free with a sniff and curled into his recliner before turning his attention back to his pie. If he just ignored this entire situation, it would go away. Sportacus chuckled, watching the other man with a fond expression on his face.   
  


It was Robbie who finally broke the silence. “You should go back to bed,” he stated. “You’ll be exhausted tomorrow and if one of the little monsters gets themselves into trouble, you’ll need all the energy you can get.”   
  


“ They’re not monsters, Robbie, they’re teenagers.”   
  


“ Same thing,” Robbie responded, licking his fork. The look the elf fixed him with was stern, but Robbie saw the elf’s lips twitch and knew he had won this verbal sparring match.   
  


“Are _you_ coming to bed soon?” Sportacus asked instead. The question gave Robbie pause.  
  


“I...suppose,” he agreed, pushing himself out of the chair. Setting his plate and fork in the sink, he followed the shorter man back to the bedroom, ruthlessly squashing the butterflies in his stomach. This was something else that had begun upon Sportacus’ return. While Robbie had, admittedly, been more than out of it the first time the men had shared a bed, it had become a much more common feature since. At first, Sportacus had argued that it would make more sense if he were _right there_ in case Robbie took a turn for the worse. Afterward, when it became clear that Robbie was healing just fine, Sportacus stated that it made no sense for either one of them to sleep in the recliner when they both fit in the bed and, ‘you don’t mind, do you, Robbie?’ And _no_, Robbie didn’t mind, not really but Sportacus has been back in LazyTown for two weeks now and they’ve been sharing a bed this entire time, and they’re _bonded _and Robbie is just very confused right now.   
  


“ Good night, Robbie,” Sportacus slurred, settling in and dragging the taller man closer. Robbie didn’t answer, too caught up in his mixed emotions but it didn’t really matter. Sportacus was already asleep.   


* * *

“ We should talk.” The words echoed around the lair and Robbie jerked at the sudden intrusion into his thoughts, very nearly sawing off the tips of his fingers in surprise. Slowly, with forced calmness, he shut off the power saw and moved away from table.   
  


“ No good discussion has ever begun with those words,” he told the elf.   
  


“ Robbie, we’re  _ bonded _ .” The man in question sighed. Heavily.   
  


“ Yes,” he agreed as he threw himself into his chair. “That is a thing that happened.”   
  


“ Don’t you think we should talk about that?” Sportacus asked. “I mean, you know I’m an elf, and you’ve heard the stories that I shared with the kids, but I know almost nothing about you. What was it like growing up fae?”   
  


“ Half-fae,” Robbie corrected, fiddling with the orange material on the arm of the chair.   
  


“ What was it like growing up half-fae?” Sportacus amended. The expression on his face was so earnest, Robbie had to look away, focusing his attention on the corner of the room.   
  


“ It was…” he paused, searching for the best word to describe the experience. “Difficult. My mother raised me and she’s human. She didn’t tell me about my father until my wings grew in. I didn’t go to school for  _ months  _ until I learned how to disguise them. Everything I learned about fae I taught myself from books and through experimentation with my magic. I am, as far as I know, the only one in my mother’s family to have fae powers. I know nothing of my father’s family. I have, on one occasion, run into other fae folk but it did not end well. ...they are not fond of halfbloods,” he explained with a wry smile.    
  


“ Is that why you were so insistent on getting me to leave when I first arrived?” the sports elf asked. “You had never had a positive interaction with Huldufolk before then?” The taller man shrugged.   
  


“ Anyway,” Robbie continued, shaking himself out of his reverie. “It’s in the past where it belongs. Now tell me what you think of these plans for the party,” he ordered, levering himself to his feet and grabbing the blueprints from the work table. Sportacus allowed him to change the subject, knowing that Robbie did not like to speak about himself for too long – or that often. Still, the elf treasured the information that Robbie  _ did  _ share as it always helped him understand the prickly man a little bit more. He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt paper being pushed into his hands.   
  


“A fun house?” he asked, excitement tinging his voice. Robbie beamed.   
  


“Tricky’s idea. Now that the brats are older, she thought it would be fun to make more age-appropriate events. The scares will all be fun, though,” he added with a shrug.   
  


“What are these?” Sportacus asked, flipping to the sheets behind the fun house schematics. “Costumes?”   
  


“Ah, ah, ah,” The fae admonished, grabbing the sketches before the sports elf could look properly. “No ruining the costumes. The monsters want to surprise you.”   
  


“It sounds like it will be a lot of fun.” The elf bounced on his toes and Robbie rolled his eyes to keep himself from doing something ridiculous, such as kissing the man.   
  


“Halloween is a day full of  _ tricks _ and  _ treats. _ It’s  _ always _ fun.”   
  


“Is there anything I can help with?” The blue-clad hero looked at the taller man with pleading eyes. Robbie rolled his eyes again, though this time it felt like he  _ possibly _ sprained something. Egads, how did the Tricky one roll her eyes so often without injury?   
  


“Yes. Keep the teen terrors busy. I have work to do and don’t want them underfoot,” he announced regally as turned back to his workbench.   
  


“They’d be happy to help you, you know.” Robbie sighed. Heavily.   
  


“Sportadork, it’s meant to be a  _ surprise _ . More to the point, I will be using  _ magic _ .  _ Keep the terrors busy.”  
_

* * *

_ _

Robbie sat on the bench and sighed. He had been working for most of the afternoon and he deserved a well-earned break. The lanky man never worked so hard as he did during October. It’s not as if the decorations hung themselves, or like the motion-sensor traps set themselves. The  _ whole town  _ would fall  _ apart _ without his eye for decorating and mechanical prowess with tricks and traps. Still, he found the effort to be worth it, though he had no idea how the flippity-flopping elf and brats could make such an effort  _ every day. _ It was  _ exhausting. _   
  


He cracked open a soda, took a long sip and admired his handy-work. It was positively gorgeous and he discreetly wiped away the small tear in his eye. Truly, his geniusness was  _ so  _ underappreciated. The houses were covered in cloaking devices, which turned the bright colors into dark greys, purples and black. Wreaths were hung on every door, with cobwebs artfully draped on railings and shutters. Dried leaves, which had previously been cleaned up by a hardworking hero and overly active children (Robbie didn’t care if they were legally adults – they were still  _ his children _ ), were now strewn across the grass and pavement. He felt a little  _ extra _ devious at undoing all their hard work. Robbie might have retired as a villain but that didn’t mean he had to be  _ nice. _ But his  _ real _ crowning achievement was the gigantic pumpkin taking center stage in the park. The retired villain didn’t even want to  _ think _ about how much effort it took to get the pumpkin in place. He’d even had to ask a certain blue-clad moron for  _ help. _ And while the elf had been more than happy to assist, it hadn’t stopped the infernal menace from suggesting that  _ maybe _ Robbie would feel less tired if he, here Robbie shuddered at the memory,  _ exercised _ more often. Robbie had informed the blue jumping bean that he could save his jokes and pranks for All Hallows’ Eve.   
  


“Wow Robbie! This is amazing!” The half-fae startled at the voice. He had been so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t heard the teens approaching. And while he was more than pleased to hear them oohing and aahing over his decorations, he had an image to protect.   
  


“All in a day’s work,” he sighed, schooling his face to a mask of boredom. “It was nothing.” He drained the last of his soda and pushed himself off the park bench. He paused, pretending to stretch his back out while his legs wobbled like jelly. Once he felt more sturdy, he tossed his can into the garbage (not the recycling) and began heading back to his lair.   
  


“This is so cool,” Tricky exclaimed. “Hey Robbie, can we put our carved pumpkins around this?” The man paused and looked over his shoulder. An eyebrow raised as he realized the trouble-maker had somehow managed to climb up onto the Mayor’s stage and used the podium to scramble on top of the carved jack-o-lantern.   
  


“If you must,” he sighed, rolling his eyes.    
  


“Is that where the haunted house is going?” She gestured to the empty sports field. The goals and hoops had been put away for the season, leaving the large field open. It was a perfect spot for the house and Robbie fully intended on getting the main portion of the edifice built tomorrow. He could then focus on getting the details ready. The schedule was tight, but he was certain everything would be ready on time.   
  


“Yes. I’ll start putting the building together tomorrow.”   
  


“Can we help?” Ziggy asked. The question was barely out of the blond’s mouth before the rest of the hellions were clamoring to help as well. The noise quickly rose in volume and Robbie squeezed his eyes shut, fingers rubbing at his temples.   
  


“Alright,  _ alright! _ Cease your infernal yapping!” he snarled. “You can help set up the building itself but after that, the house is  _ off limits _ until the haunted house opens. I mean it, Tricky,” Robbie continued, purposely pointing at his little protege. “You aren’t kids anymore, which means I don’t have to tone down my traps. You try to sneak in and it’s your own fault if you wind up with a broken bone.” Something in his tone must have finally gotten through to them, and they nodded solemnly - even Trixie. “Good. Then we will meet here tomorrow at 11:00. Now, shoo,” he ordered, flapping his hands at them. As the teens scattered, Robbie allowed a soft smile to momentarily grace his lips before heading back home.  


* * *

Glanni scowled down at the map in his hand. He might have taken things a bit too far by poisoning that town, and now he had an elf on his tail. He needed to find a place to hide and his options were limited since his stolen vehicle was nearly out of gas. There were a handful of towns within his limit but one in particular caught his eye. A place called LazyTown - a small little location out of the way of any major city. He doubted the infernal hero would think to look for him  _ there. _ With a large grin, he threw the car into drive and headed off into the night.

End Chapter One


	2. Chapter 2

Robbie practically buzzed with glee. If his wings weren’t glamored they would be vibrating with excitement. He was so excited to get the haunted house started that he had even woken up _early._ Still, he had an image to uphold, so he crossed his arms in front of his chest and huffed in supposed irritation, tapping his foot on the ground for good measure.  
  
“Finally,” he groused, as the gaggle of teenagers gathered in front of him. “You’re late.”  
  
“You’re late all the time,” Trixie complained.  
  
“_Fashionably _late,” Robbie corrected. Honestly, it was like the child had no concept of fashion. No self-respecting villain would _ever _be caught showing up on time. And if they were to show up too late, their audience could grow _bored _and _leave_. She’d learn. He’d see to that. “Now, shall we begin?” The question was obviously rhetorical as his helpers were already diving into the supplies. Robbie fought back a wince as Ziggy nearly took out himself, and then everyone else, with a support beam.  
  
“I came by to see if you needed another set of hands, but I see you’ve already started.” Egads, Robbie could _hear _the warmth in the sports elf’s voice.  
  
“And five minutes out from a hospital visit,” he muttered, eyeing the blond with a worried expression.  
  
“Ziggy, you’ve gotten so strong!” Sportacus exclaimed. “It is very impressive, but that beam looks like it needs two people to support it. Please allow me to assist!” With a cartwheel, the elf was gone and Robbie felt the tension ease from his shoulders. “Now, Robbie, please give us our instructions!”  
  
It was late afternoon by the time Robbie deemed the house ready. To celebrate the ‘barn raising’ - and the fact that no one needed serious medical attention - Sportacus declared that a picnic was ‘absolutely necessary’. Thus Robbie found himself sprawled on a blanket in the grass, surrounded by noisy children and an overly-energetic elf. In another lifetime, he thought, he would have found this situation to be absolutely unacceptable. A _villain_? _Fraternizing _with a hero? Oh how the mighty have fallen. He smiled placidly and took another bite of his cookie. Or at least, that was what he had prepared to do.  
  
He stiffened, his back protesting at the action. His fingers tightened around his treat until it crumbled to the ground. Robbie didn’t even pay enough attention to mourn the loss of sugar. There was something… He couldn’t place it. There was an unknown in LazyTown, but he couldn’t isolate the signature.  
  
“Robbie?” The voice was soft, but there was enough of an undercurrent in it to bring the half-fae back to the present. Blue eyes filled with worry stared at him and the elf’s mustache twitched minutely. “Is everything alright?”  
  
“I don’t...know,” he responded. “Something changed but I can’t…” He waved his hand in frustration. “It’s hidden somehow.”  
  
“Hidden?”  
  
“Yes, _hidden_, you infernal _menace._” Robbie hissed. “I sensed them cross the boundary, but they are either powerful enough to hide their signature, or it is similar enough to my own that I can’t track it.”  
  
“Guys?” The question was tentative, but enough to bring the two men back to their senses. Both seemed to realize how close they had drifted during their conversation and they jumped apart as if they’d been shocked. Their young friends were grouped in front of them, concern clearly etched on every single one of their faces, and Robbie’s heart plummeted.  
  
“Everything’s fine, Pixel,” Sportacus assured the young man. Their resident tech genius nodded, but his eyes remained on Robbie. Despite the improvement to Robbie’s health over the past few weeks, they were still concerned and they had taken to surreptitiously watching him. Or, what they believed to be surreptitiously. Robbie thought it left a lot to be desired but kept his mouth shut to humor his kids. He thought they might feel better about everything if they knew the truth, but Robbie had kept his secret for so long that it was difficult to let it go now.  
  
“He’s telling the truth, Techie,” the ex-villain assured him. “I’m fine. I was just caught off-guard by something. A...feeling, if you will.”  
  
“Ooh, ooh, are you a clarinoyance?” Ziggy asked, absolutely mangling the word.  
  
“Clairvoyant, Ziggy,” Trixie sighed. Her eyes remained on Robbie, though, quietly assessing.  
  
“Something like that,” Robbie hedged. It wasn’t the truth but it wasn’t _ exactly _ a lie. “Do us both a favor,” he asked, pushing the conversation ahead before they could ask any more questions. “Keep an eye out for any strangers in town. And _ be careful.”_  
  


* * *

Glanni hid the stolen vehicle in the forest just outside of town. With a snap of his fingers the car was hidden with an enchantment; he grimaced, realizing that this was most likely the last bit of magic he’d be able to do for a while. With Iprottaalfurinn on his stylish heels, he’d need to lay low for quite some time.  
  
He paused at the edge of the forest, his head tilted to the side and one hip jutting out. There was something in the air… He scowled. The air was _saturated_ with magic.  
  
“Oh, that just won’t do.” He scented the air again and hissed as he realized there was an elf in the area. “Is there no escaping these infernal nuisances?” he moaned. He paused in his fabulous one-person pity party and turned his attention to the second magical signature. It was fainter than the elf’s signature, yet it seemed familiar. Almost _familial_, which shouldn’t have been possible as the majority of his family was still located within Tir Na Nog. He shook off the feeling and sashayed his way into the town.  
  
The magic was stronger as he entered the main area. It was clear that the little village was preparing for the fall festivities. Every home was decorated and there was a house going up in the middle of the - Glanni gagged - sports field. It was looking to be quite the celebration and the fae felt his wings flutter under their glamour. There was nothing he loved so much as All Hallows’ Eve. He felt his heart sank as he realized that he would not be able to partake in his usual Unseelie behavior. Although, maybe… He was pulled from his thoughts as a group of people raced toward the house in the field. Slinking behind a large oak, Glanni peered out at the humans.  
  
A group of five young adults ran towards the door of the house. Before they were able to enter, a large shadow appeared in the doorway and obstructed their path. The group pulled up short as a voice rang out over the area.  
  
“_What _did I tell you little urchins?” The voice was waspish, and Glanni could easily imagine it coming out of his own mouth if it weren’t for one item. There seemed to be an underlying _fondness_ in the tone, as if the man actually _liked _the group of people he was yelling at.  
  
“We weren’t going to sneak in, I promise!” A female with a ponytail stated. “Cross my heart and hope to lie! We just wanted to see how our costumes were going!” There was a moment of silence, which Glanni presumed was a stare-off between the young girl and the man.  
  
“_Please,_ Robbie?” Another female begged. Even from his vantage point, Glanni could see the excess of pink on her person. “Sportacus is busy helping Uncle Milford and Ms. Busybody.”  
  
“Oh, alright,” the man sighed. Glanni watched as he stepped from the doorway. He was extremely tall and lanky. And _fae._ Glanni’s magic resonated with his, even with the space between them. The man stopped short, spinning on a dime and staring directly at Glanni’s hiding space.  
  
“Robbie?” A tentative voice asked - one of the men, Glanni thought, though he didn’t dare risk moving from his hiding spot to check.  
  
“Yes, yes, alright. Let’s go.” Glanni listened as the group moved away before letting out a deep sigh. He had heard stories of how widespread his family lineage ran. The Unseelie court was not as concerned with tracking their lineage as other families, and the men in Glanni’s family were well known to sow quite a number of wild seeds. Someone in his family had clearly widened their fields to include humans. _Glaepur. _He thought a tad hysterically. _He’s a Glaepur, even if he doesn’t know it._  
  


* * *

Robbie hummed contentedly as he unearthed his sketch book. The costumes themselves were hidden in one of his back storage rooms – a necessity when living with a nosy elf. The teenagers were gathered around the kitchen table, chattering excitedly as they waited for him to return, and he felt a warm, tingling sensation in his gut. These were _his _kids, and they _liked _him and came to him for _advice_, and were _worried_ that he had been _ill_. Robbie preened at the thought. Then he promptly shoved it away and stalked back to his kitchen.  
  
“Here,” he stated, thrusting the book at the pink girl, boredom practically dripping from his voice. “Don’t smudge anything.” The teens crowded around the small book, heads practically pressing against one another as Stephanie carefully flipped the pages.  
  
Trixie’s costume was first, as she was the one who had initially approached the man about creating the costumes. It was a more detailed version of her old pirate costume and the group grinned as they remembered that day. The outfit had a tight-fighting pair of pants, though they were loose enough to let the young woman run around easily. Leather boots covered the bottom of the pants, but they stopped above the ankles rather than raising up to her knees. Her top was covered by a loose black tunic which was covered by a leather jacket which ran down to her thighs. Red sashes - one tied around the waist and the other covering her head - brought in a flash of color. The ensemble was topped with her old pirate hat.  
  
Stingy’s costume was less elaborate, but no less loved by the young man. Taking inspiration from the young man’s beloved piggy bank, Robbie had managed to create a realistic piglet costume. Foregoing the typical onesie - which were a pain to get in and out of - he had created two separate pieces which fit seamlessly together. The material was soft and gave the impression of soft peach fuzz.  
  
Ziggy’s costume also drew on an old standby. But rather than a simple cape tied over his usual outfit, Robbie had created a super suit specifically for the young man. It was similar to the suit that Sportacus wore, but the colors were different: blue, yellow and flashes of red. Stephanie grinned at the image - she still had her own superhero outfit at home and she refused to part with it despite having outgrown it years ago. She had the distinct feeling that Ziggy would feel the same about his own suit.  
  
Pixel’s costume wasn’t so much a costume as a cosplay outfit. Robbie had taken the protagonist of Pixel’s latest game fixation and made a fully outfitted kit for the young man to wear. Pixel beamed.  
  
Last but not least was Stephanie’s costume, and Robbie did not disappoint. The young dancer had been running around with a witch’s hat for a month and the inventor had made her a costume to match. The dress had a stylish bodice for the top, colored mostly in black but with enough pink at the center and along the sleeves to keep her happy. The skirt itself looked to be made of gauze material with sequins sewn in to make it sparkle. The skirt and sleeves contained sheer fabric which had spider’s webbing sewn into it. Robbie had paired the outfit with practical heels - nothing ridiculously high - after all, Stephanie would want to be able to run and dance without risking a broken ankle, but something with enough of a lift to make the outfit feel a bit more grown-up.  
  
“Robbie, these are amazing!” she gasped.  
  
“Yes, I know.” Robbie responded in a bored tone of voice. Rather than take offense, the dancer giggled before bouncing up and throwing her arms around the lanky man’s waist and burrowing her face into his chest.  
  
“Thank you,” she muttered, voice getting lost somewhere in Robbie’s rib cage. “Have you started putting them together yet?” she continued excitedly before either of them could get much more emotional.  
  
“Yes, yes, they’re in the back room.” Robbie had barely finished the sentence before a herd of small elephants stampeded into the room in question. _For as fit as the five teens were, they could make a surprising amount of noise_, he mused. Deciding not to follow them, the fae threw himself into his chair and lounged.  
  
From his spot in the lair, he could hear the voices carrying down the hallway and a small, pleased grin graced his features as he heard the group fawning over their costumes. Egads, he truly _was _a softy. His thoughts were interrupted by the _whoosh _of someone entering and Robbie screeched, diving for the kitchen table and slamming his sketchbook closed. The momentum of his movement left him sprawled across one of the chairs, with one arm splayed across the table (and his beloved book), the other planted firmly on the floor to help support his weight.  
  
“Hello, Robbie!” Sportacus beamed, seemingly unfazed by the sight before him. “Are the children here with you?” Before Robbie could answer his question (or more likely snarl something inappropriate and slightly offensive), the gaggle of teens made their way back to the main section of the lair.  
  
“Oh, hello Sportacus!” Ziggy greeted. “Um, Robbie? What are you doing?” Robbie glared at him with a baleful expression.  
  
“Oh, nothing, nothing. I thought I might try yoga. How am I doing?”  
  
“Wonderful!” Sportacus responded before moving to help the taller man up. “You’ll be a master in no time.” Robbie could feel his face flushing but scowled anyway.  
  
“Oh, shut up,” he muttered. “What are you doing here anyway?”  
  
“The Mayor asked me to remind the kids that it’s time for dinner.” A quick glance at the clock confirmed that it was, indeed, nearly dinner time. Good _lord_, where had the day gone to already?  
  
“Alright, you heard the elf. _Out.”_ A chorus of _Bye, Robbie_ and _See you, Sportacus_ echoed around the lair until just the two older men were left. Robbie watched as the hero waved goodbye to the teens, a wide grin on his face. Once the latch slammed shut, he turned and his expression softened as he made eye contact with the retired villain. Robbie swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat and he made a mental note to take some medicine that evening. It would be just his luck to get strep throat.  
  
“The children seem very excited about their costumes.”  
  
“They should be,” Robbie huffed. “They took a lot of _work.”_ Sportacus smiled, and small wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. Robbie felt his heart give a lurch. _Great_, he thought, _strep throat _and _a heart attack. _He turned away and bustled to the kitchen. _Cake, cake is just what I need.  
  
_“How is the haunted house going?” The elf asked, trailing after the taller man.  
  
“Almost done. I should be able to wrap things up tomorrow and it will be open to the town the day after,” he responded, pulling out a slice of Devil’s Food Cake from the fridge before tossing the other man a banana. “How about you? Do anything exciting today?” As Sportacus recounted his good deeds of the day, Robbie allowed himself to bask in contentment. It wasn’t often the two men were able to get some alone time together.  
  
“Robbie?” The fae looked up and frowned at the hesitant look on the sports elf’s face. “Would you be interested in learning more about magic?”  
  
“_What?”_ Robbie winced as the word left his mouth. He hadn’t meant for it to sound as harsh as it did but the hero had caught him by surprise.  
  
“You mentioned before that the only thing you know about your magic is what you learned from books and experimentation. Elf magic is very similar to fae magic, and since we have an unknown stranger around town, -”  
  
“-it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to learn more, to keep myself safe.” Robbie finished. Sportacus nodded, taking the cake out of Robbie’s hands and setting it on the counter. With the plate out of the way, the elf slid closer, pinning the lanky man against the counter.  
  
“I know you can take care of yourself,” he said softly, “but if there is anything I can do to help keep you safe, I will do it.” The fae swallowed, and really he should see a doctor about these persistent symptoms. Something was obviously wrong.  
  
“Oh, alright,” he groused, blinking when the elf stepped closer and placed a kiss on his cheek. _Yes,_ he thought as his heart gave a small skip, _something is definitely wrong._  
  


* * *

  
Glanni watched as the group walked off to the edge of town. Once they were far enough away, he slunk out of the shadows and eased his way toward the house. Slipping inside, he held his breath, waiting to see if there was anyone else still working. When no one yelled, or asked what he was doing there, he released a sigh and allowed himself to look around.  
  
The main structure of the house had been finalized and the rooms twisted around each other like a maze. It was clear that the man had utilized some magic to warp the rooms - some felt claustrophobic while others seemed to go on forever - and it looked like he had been in the process of setting up the scares when the humans had arrived. _ Well, _ Glanni thought with a mischievous grin _ , that’s something _ I _ can help with._  
  


End Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein the author makes up more shit about fae.

Robbie woke up slowly, basking in the warmth provided by Sportacus’ body. The elf threw off heat like a furnace and with a domicile that was perpetually cool, the half-fae enjoyed the extra heat. Normally, the ex-villain would have liked nothing more than to curl around the elf and spend a few precious moments enjoying this closeness, but the Haunted House needed finishing, he’d be starting his training today, and there was still the pesky problem of an unknown stranger lurking around town.  
  
With a much put-upon sigh, Robbie dragged himself out of bed and stumbled his way into the bathroom. By the time he had showered, dressed and styled his hair, he was feeling much more like his usual, ex-villainous self. A glance at the clock had him grimacing. _ Six am?! _ No wonder the blue menace was still asleep. Robbie paused, running his gaze over Sportacus’ sleeping form.  
  
While awake, the elf was in constant motion. Even while sleeping the elf twitched and tossed, as if he was performing jumping jacks even in his dreams. It had been a hell of an adjustment when they had begun sharing a bed. Right now, though, the other man was stretched out along his back, his face relaxed as he enjoyed a deep sleep. The wrinkles and furrow lines around his face were smoothed out, making him look younger, and Robbie wondered how he had never realized how much responsibility Sportacus carried as a hero. He wondered how many of those furrows along Sportacus’ brow came from him. He frowned and shook himself out of his thoughts. He didn’t have time to stand here feeling guilty about things he couldn’t change. Snagging one of the ridiculously sugared pop-tarts from a cabinet, Robbie hoisted himself out of his lair.  
  
After clambering up the pipe, Robbie paused, breathing deeply. The air outside was cool and crisp and the man shivered slightly despite his best efforts. There was an undercurrent in the air, as if there was something building in the town , and Robbie frowned. Someone was using magic. A lot of it. But in spite of this, the signature was still hidden. With a frustrated growl, Robbie stomped off to the sports field.  
  
As the house came into view Robbie felt some of the tension leave him. While his behavior in the past few years might have put him more in the Seelie court - if he was recalling correctly the jumbled information dump he had received last evening from Sportacus - he still had Unseelie behavior that needed to be placated. And a house full of scares - even if they were fun - was just the trick. Literally and figuratively. Robbie paused, admiring the work that had been completed so far while still mentally reviewing what he needed to work on that day. After a few moments of reorganizing his thoughts, he entered the building.  
  
As he crossed the threshold, the fae was immediately bombarded by an excess of magic. He let out a low growl at this blatant encroachment on his territory. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the man responsible for the unknown magic.  
  
The man was tall, taller than Robbie , with the same pale skin and dark hair. His clothes appeared painted on to his body, so tightly were they molded to his frame. The man himself was lounging artfully against the wall looking bored.  
  
“_You _ ,” Robbie growled. The man smirked, pushing himself off the wall with an ease and grace that Robbie was loath to admire.  
  
“Hello, cousin,” he greeted. “I’ve so been admiring your little town. However, I thought it time to introduce myself. My name is Glanni.”  
  
“_You, _ ” Robbie growled, eyes narrowing to slits as he glared at the taller man in front of him. “_What _ are you _ doing _ in _ my town? ” _ After a moment’s pause, he added, “and I am _ not _ your cousin.”  
  
“Such a _ fascinating _ little town,” Glanni drawled, his nose crinkling in distaste as he rested a shoulder against the wall. “Not usually my scene, but it seemed as good a place as any to lie low. Villainy runs in the family blood, _ cousin _ ,” he explained. The older man pushed away from the wall and placed himself in front of his conversational partner. “I do not know which of my family members sired you, but I _ know _ you are a Glaepur. Our magical signatures are too similar to deny it.”  
  
“And even _ if _ we are,” Robbie returned, as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “You still entered _ my _ territory. And are potentially bringing a hostile hero here as well.”  
  
“Forget about the stupid elf,” Glanni waved his hand, as if brushing the words away from his mind. “He’ll never think to look for me here. And even if he could, he’d be helpless against two Glaepur’s, even if you _ are _ a halfgerour.”   
  
Robbie grit his teeth.

“_Get out _ .”   
  
Glanni merely rolled his eyes. “Puh- _ lease _ . You’re no match for me, so you might as well help. We’ll take care of the knife-ear already here first. Is he a Numbered one as well?” He asked as he began pacing, though he continued on without waiting for an answer. “It doesn’t matter, I suppose. We’ll take him out and raise some mischief just in time for All Hallow’s Eve. And if Ipro decides to show up, then we’ll take _ him _ out too.” He cackled with maniacal glee. Robbie, however, heard none of it.  
  
At the mention of ‘the knife-ear’, all he could hear was blood roaring through his ears. Robbie had never been particularly good at controlling his magic, and what little he had learned to access had gone directly into his costumes. Now, though, with righteous fury flowing through his veins, purple smoke started swirling along the floor as sparks of the same color spurted from his finger tips. As an invisible wind began picking up, Glanni finally noticed what was happening and heaved a put upon sigh.  
  
“_Really _ , cousin, I _ already _ told you that -” His words cut off as he was sent flying through the rooms of the haunted house.  
  
“_Stay away from him,” _ Robbie hissed. “_Stay. Away. From _ all _ of them.” _ His eyes flashed silver before the fight seemed to drain out of the half-fae, and he stumbled his way back through the entryway. Glanni, who took the time to pick himself up from the floor and brush himself off, merely watched him go.  
  
“Oh that just _ won’t _ do,” he muttered.

* * *

Robbie awoke with a pounding headache, and he moaned as he heard incessant whispering increase around him. _Sh,_ he’s waking up. What do you think happened? Is he alright? Robbie moaned again, throwing an arm over his face to help shield his eyes from the light.  
  
“If you do not _cease_ your infernal _yapping_, I will shoot you _all_ from the cannon.”  
  
“He’ll be fine,” a gentle voice assured the others. “Why don’t you all give him some room. Whatever happened, it seems to have given him a terrible headache, and he will need some quiet to feel better.” _Bless that man_, Robbie thought. _I hope that’s Sportacus. Otherwise it’s going to be terribly awkward when I confess my undying love and gratitude to him.  
  
_“Sportacus?” he croaked.  
  
“Yes, Robbie?” the voice responded.  
  
“Oh _good_, just making sure.”  
  
“The others have given us some space. Can you tell me first, are you hurt?”  
  
“No. I just accessed more magic than I’m used to.”  
  
“Accessed more -? Robbie, tell me, what happened?” Sportacus urged, his voice coming out as a breathy whisper. Robbie groaned, and struggled to sit up. Sportacus rushed to help, and they were soon both sitting with their backs pressed against the stage. Sportacus continued to look at the half-fae with an anxious expression, but Robbie ignored it for the moment, instead looking across the field to where the house stood. A growl of displeasure escaped him at the sight, and his eyes inadvertently flashed silver once again. Sportacus gasped, though he didn’t pull away.  
  
“I went to work on the house,” Robbie stated, nodding toward the edifice. Sportacus turned around long enough to glance at it, but froze at the sight. The house no longer stood there. Instead, it looked like something from Tir Na Nog.  
  
“What -”  
  
“Our interloper was there. According to one Glanni Glaepur, he and I are related. That’s why I could sense his presence but couldn’t track down where he was. His magic is too similar to mine. Is that true?” he asked. His lessons with Sportacus had only just begun, and he wasn’t going to trust the word of some strange Fae.  
  
“It could be,” Sportacus conceded, finally tearing his eyes away from the construct taking over LazyTown’s sports field.  
  
“Seems he’s on the run from his own hero - an elf named Ipro. He didn’t get around to explaining _why_. Instead, he wanted to _recruit _me. Said we could ‘_take care_’ of you and raise some mischief before All Hallows’ Eve. And if Ipro arrived we could take care of _him_, too. He said there was no reason for me to try and _fight _him because I’m..._halfgerour_,” he spat, and was relieved to see a flash of anger in the elf’s eyes. “I got angry. I lost control of my magic and it flung him into the haunted house. Told him to stay away from you and the others before I managed to stumble out.” The sentence was barely out of his mouth before he found himself enveloped in the elf’s arms.  
  
“Thank goodness you’re alright. The kids found you at the edge of the field and pulled you into the park. They didn’t know what had happened to you and _that,”_ he gestured to the Unseelie Castle currently growing in the field, “hadn’t started yet. Glaepur…” he muttered.  
  
“You know the name?” Robbie asked, allowing himself a few more moments in his mate's arms before pulling back to look at the other man. It hadn’t meant a thing to him, but if Glanni was as powerful as he seemed to _think_ he was, they could have a real problem on their hands.  
  
“Unfortunately, yes. Glaepur is an old and powerful Fae family. They have long sat on the Unseelie Court. Glanni, from what I’ve heard, is especially malicious, which is why my brother was assigned to him,” Sportacus continued with a frown. “I will need to contact Ipro immediately, but first, I want to set up wards around the field. I want to keep him contained if at all possible.”  
  
“Let’s get started,” Robbie sighed. He pushed himself to his feet, and Sportacus helped to steady him. They were immediately surrounded by worried teenagers clamoring to make sure he was alright and demanding to know what was going on. Robbie wanted them nowhere near his enraged family member. “Go to my bunker and _stay there,” _he ordered, voice nothing more than a raspy growl. Pinky, it seemed, understood the severity of the situation, because she immediately roped Pixel into helping her haul the others away. “What’s the plan?” he asked.  
  
“I will need to place wards down, but I need you to cover me. Once that’s done, we will need to make sure the townsfolk stay indoors before we join the kids at the bunker. I will call for back up from my father and brothers.”  
  
“Well, I _suppose _I had to meet the family _sometime_,” Robbie sighed. Sportacus gave his hand a squeeze, knowing that Robbie was using the humor as a defense mechanism. The Fae gave his hand a small squeeze back, but his eyes remained fixed on the castle. “Still, somehow, I think meeting _your _family is going to go better than meeting _mine_ did.”

* * *

The wards went down easily enough, though whether it was because Glanni didn’t notice it was happening, or didn’t think the wards would hold him had yet to be seen. But once placed, the two men scoured the rest of the town to ensure that all citizens would remain indoors until Sportacus gave the ‘all clear’. As it was, it was late afternoon by the time the two men got back to the bunker and found the kids huddled around the kitchen table, concern etched on their faces and practically radiating off their bodies.  
  
“You’re back!” Stephanie shouted, bounding up and throwing her arms around the both of them. “Is everything all right? What’s going on?” More questions poured out of her friends’ mouths as they surrounded the two men. Neither one could answer as the voices began to overlap. Finally, Robbie had enough.  
  
“QUIET!” he shouted, fingers rubbing at his temples. Blessed silence immediately followed. “Now, let’s sit down and discuss this _calmly_ and _rationally._ I will start, while Sportacus makes some calls.” The elf nodded, quickly clambering back up the pipe as he headed to his airship. Despite the improvements made to the bunker, Sportacus’ emergency line home would not work underground. He would, unfortunately, have to risk being spotted by Glanni, but the kids did _not_ need to know that. “Let’s sit down,” he sighed.  
  
“Robbie, are you okay?” Ziggy asked, a hand coming to touch the man lightly on the arm. The fae glanced down at the younger man’s hand, remembering how it used to take both of his small, sticky hands to wrap around his wrist. Now, one of his hands was almost enough to encircle his forearm. Of all the kids, Ziggy had definitely grown the most.  
  
“Just tired,” he answered, which wasn’t _exactly_ a lie. Once everyone was sitting, Robbie took a deep breath and began his story.  
  
“You know that Sportacus is a sports elf.” He paused, and glanced up as the others nodded in agreement. “And you’ve heard him speak of huldufolk?” More nods. “There are a number of _types_ of huldufolk, and some of them can blend in with human society more easily than others. In fact, some huldufolk have actually _married _humans, and have had children with them. These kids tend to have magical abilities like their huldufolk parent, though the magic might not be as _strong_. Do you understand?”  
  
“Are you a huldufolk, too?” It was Trixie, of course, who asked.  
  
“I’m half-Fae.” Better to answer as simply as possible.  
  
“But...aren’t Fae, like, fairies? Shouldn’t you have wings?” she pressed. Robbie dropped his glamour, wings spreading the span of his small kitchen.  
  
“These ones?” he asked as they fluttered, raising an eyebrow in challenge.  
  
“Whoa…” Her gasp was echoed by the others.  
  
“Robbie, they’re so _pretty.”_ Stephanie stated, one hand reaching out to touch the wings, though she stopped herself at the last moment. “Is that how you knew Sportacus was an elf before everyone else?”  
  
“Huldufolk can sense each other,” Sportacus explained as he rejoined the group. “Well, usually. Since Robbie is only half-Fae, his magic signature was more difficult for me to pin down. It wasn’t until I returned to LazyTown that I figured it out.” He gave the taller man a small smile.  
  
“This is…” Ziggy paused and took a deep breath. Robbie tensed despite himself. “SO COOL!” The others immediately chimed in and the ex-villain honestly thought he might cry. They weren’t _freaked out. _They weren’t _mad_ that he had kept his secret so much longer than Sportacus. They thought it was amazing that they knew another huldufolk.  
  
“But wait!” Stephanie shouted, getting everyone’s attention. “What does this have to do with what’s going on at the sports field?”  
  
“Do you remember what I said about their being a stranger in town?” Robbie asked. “Well, not all huldufolk are _good_, Pinky. And this guy...he’s very, very _bad. _But we’re going to stop him with some help.” The ex-villain glanced at Sportacus.  
  
“The Fae’s name is Glanni Glaepur. He comes from an extremely powerful huldufolk family. I have called my family and my parents and brothers should be here within the hour. While we typically use air travel, this is a special circumstance, so they will be using magic to transport directly from the North to LazyTown. In the meantime, the townsfolk know to stay indoors and you will be staying here in the bunker. It is protected by both our magic and will keep you safe.” The elf answered a few more questions before attempting to settle the kids down with activities so he could talk quietly with his partner.  
  
“We know what _we’re _doing, but what on earth is _he_ doing?” the taller man asked quietly. “When I first spoke to him he made it sound like he was just looking for a quiet place to dodge your brother. Now he’s moving an entire freaking castle from the Otherworld! And just how many brothers do you have?”  
  
“Nine. I’m Tiu, remember?” Sportacus replied, answering the easier question first. He’d be more amused by Robbie’s moan if their situation was much less dire. “From what I can tell, he’s attempting to transport the UnSeelie Court castle onto our sports field. Which is not good for a variety of reasons.”  
  
“You have _NINE BROTHERS_ and they’re _all _headed to my _house_?! Along with your _parents_? Where are they going to _fit_? I’m going to have to expand the bunker. You’re going to need to put up more wards. _Furniture_. We’ll need more furniture.” He mumbled, pacing as his thoughts raced, trying to prepare for the impending elf invasion.  
  
“My family will help with the living situation once they arrive,” Sportacus soothed. “Can we focus on your cousin attempting to rip a hole between worlds?”  
  
“Yes, _fine_.” Robbie grumbled. He turned back around to face his mate, attempting to refocus on the conversation. “You said it won’t be good for a variety of reasons. Such as?”  
  
“It will make it difficult to play sports,” the elf deadpanned. Robbie gaped at him until he noticed the elf’s mustache twitching in amusement.  
  
“Very funny, _elf_,” he growled, jabbing the shorter man in the shoulder with a finger.  
  
“Robbie, trust me when I say that setting the UnSeelie Court loose on the town will _not_ be good. Huldufolk are, by nature, a mischievous lot but UnSeelie tend to be maliciously mischievous. And the court is composed of old families who prefer to follow the old ways. They will not like that you are half-Fae. And they _definitely_ will not like that we’re bonded.”  
  
“He _knows_,” Robbie gasped, before growling. “He knows about _you_, about _us _and _he’s doing it on purpose_. I’ll kill him.” Once again, Robbie’s eyes flashed silver, but Sportacus restrained him before he could lunge for the ladder.  
  
“Robbie, listen to me. I _know._ I know what he’s doing, but your reaction is _exactly_ what he wants. Glanni _wants_ you to lose control because a Fae who cannot control their magic is dangerous. A dangerous Fae means more damage, more likelihood that someone will get hurt, _including you_. And if you get angry, then your magic will take control of you rather than you controlling it. And that makes you vulnerable to being thralled by a more experienced magic user. Glanni could make you into his puppet and have you do whatever he wanted.”  
  
“Why would we want _me?_ You said UnSeelie look down on half-Faes.”  
  
“You’re a _Glaepur_, Robbie,” Sportacus explained patiently. “A Glaepur half-Fae is still more powerful than some full-blooded Faes.”  
  
“So his goal is to take you and your brother out, preferably gain control over me or kill me, and then what? Destroy the town?” The question was laced with his usual heavy sarcasm, but Sportacus’ silence was all the response he needed. “He _is_, isn’t he? Going to destroy the town?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Well....fuck.”  
  
End Chapter 3


End file.
